Feeding device for acetylene-generators.



No. 784,463. PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905.

A. YANCEY.

PEEDING DEVICE FOR AGETYLENE GENERATORS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 25, 1904.

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1 @f U g`/ PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905.

A. YANCBY. FEEDING DEVICE FOR ACETYLENB GENERATORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1904.

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@wi/immun M H/u w. m w f No. 784,463. PATENTBD MAR. 7, 1905. A. YANCEY.

. FBEDING DEVICE POR AGBTYLBNBGENBRATORS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY z5, 1904.

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PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905.

A. YANGEY. FBEDING DEVICE FOR AGETYLBNE GENBRATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 25, 1904.

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APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2s, 1904.

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Snumoz I Mm a Mmm UNTTED STATES i PATENT Patented March '7, 1905.

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ARTHUR YANCEY, OF DERMOTT, ARKANSAS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 784,463, dated March7, 1905.

Application flied May z5. 1904. serial No. 209,735.

To 11]/ uff/.ont it 'may concern.

Be it known that l, ARTHUR YANCEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dermott, in the county of Chicot and State of Arkansas, haveinvented a new and useful Feeding Device for Acetylene-Generators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene-generators in whichcalcium carbid is fed into water in granular or lump form; and itrelates mainly to certain improvements in the `feed mechanism thereforwherein a plurality of swinging hopper-bottoms form a throat throughwhich the carbid passes to a series of conveyers and thence to the waterbelow. Automatic oscillation or jarring of the said hopper-bottomsprevents the stoppage of the flow of carbid to the conveyers, and theconveyers distribute and properly regulate the feed of carbid to thewater. The hopper and its series of swinging depending' bottoms areshown as used in conjunction with the several forms of differentialconvcyers described in my former application, filed April 12, 1904,Serial No. 202,811.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section ofthe feeding device, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig'. 2 looking in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section of a partof the feeding device on the line 1 1 of Fig. 1 and looking in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 1l of Fig'. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Figs. 4, 5, and 6show the improved hopper as applied to another form of generator, Fig. 6being on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 shows a modified form of the hopperconstruction in which the depending bottoms are jarred automatically andintermittentlyT by the feed mechanism. Fig'. 8 shows one embodiment ofmy invention in which a separate generator and gasometer are used and inwhich the feed of the carbid is automatically controlled by the rise andfall of the gasometer. Fig. 9 shows the preferred form of the grate-barsused and is on an enlarged scale.

Anly7 desired form of differentially-speeded conveyers may be used.

Referring to Fig. 8, A represents the generator, and A' the hopper inwhich the carbid is placed to be fed to the water below. B is a tankcontaining the water-buoyed gasometer C. E is any.conveniently-sealedwaterpipe conveying' the gas from the generator to the gasometer. E2 isa pipe which affords a passage for the gas from the gasometer to thefilter D, through which the gas passes and is then delivered into theservice-pipe, which is screwed onto the nipple D2, V1)' being a pipewhich provides a walter-seal in the filter. As illustrated, the fall ofthe gasonieter C sets the feed device in operation by means of thechains 1',lever l, and feed-rod 12, which passes through a water-sealedtube Is and which when raised, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2` engages, bymeans of the chain l", the sprocket on the ratchet-drum K, which ismounted on the shaft M. To this drum is fastened theratchet and thesprocket-wheels S". Consequently the upward movement of the rod l2revolves the shaft M and also the shafts M', M2, and M3, which are allconnected together by sprocketchains. The sprocket-wheels on which theselast-named sprocket-chains are mounted, however, are of different sizes,so that the upper shaft M3 revolves very slowly, the next shaft M2 alittle faster, and so on through the series. l/Vhen the bell C rises,the drum K of the pawl K. loosely revolves in the reverse directionwithout moving the shaft M. Circular disks T T' T2 T', of thin stiffmetal, such as aluminium, revolve, respectively, with the shaft M, M',M2, and Mg and may be loosely adjusted on said shaft and separated b vthe grate-bars These grate-bars should be inclined to the axis of thehopper at an angle somewhat less than the piling-angle of the carbid andwith a limit of obtusencss which will just maintain an inert conditionof the carbid on the conveyers or grate-surface when the said conveyersare at rest. On the shaft M3, the highest of the series of shafts andthe IOO said rollers Y', Y2, and Y3 of the revolving drum D, suchengagement producing an oscillation of the hopper-bottoms in onedirection at intervals, and said hopper-bottoms are moved in theopposite direction, when released, by means of a spring Yi or equivalentdevice. This oscillation or jarring movement prevents any arching ofthecarbid in the hopper, which arching is apt to occur in carbid-feedmechanisms and which it is one of the objects of my present invention toprevent.

In Fig. 7 is shown another form of the archbreaking device. A knocker Q7is used to engage with the rollers of the drum Y. This knocker isloosely mounted on the pivot Q and when released by the rollers imparts,by means of a spring or equivalent device, a blow which is distributedthroughout the system of hopper-bottoms A', A2, and A3, the blow beingapplied to the stop Q8.

In the device shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 instead of the circular disks aseries of tines T6, T7, and Ts are used, operating between thegrate-bars, which tines are supported on the differential rack R R' R2.One end of the rack is pivotally supported at. R. It will be observedthat if the other end, R', be moved forward the various sets of tineswill be respectively moved through distances increasing with thedistance from the pivot R. Thus the set T6 may move twice as far as theset T5, the set T7 four times, and the set TS eight times as far as theset T5. The differential rack is operated as follows: The shaft Viscaused to revolve in one direction in the manner hereinafter explained.On this shaft is provided a cam` X, having a tortuous groove, in whichgroove the connecting-rod R* of the rack engages, as shown in Fig. 6,the parts being' so arranged that the movable end of the rack will beuniformly drawn forward throughout the greater part of one revolution ofthe shaft V and in the remaining fraction of said revolution quicklyreturn to its initial position and simultaneously lower so that thetines are beneath the carbid grate throughout the entire returnmovement.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the preferred form of the grate-bars, in whichthe upper part represents the widest section of said bars, so that thespaces in which the carriers move between the grate bars areproportionally wider below the surface forming the grate, thuspreventing the lodging of small particles of carbid which might fallbetween the gratebars. It is obvious that the grate might be cast in onepiece, if desired, with conveyerspaces between, or that it might be madeof separate bars.

As shown in Fig. 8, the carbid-feed may be conveniently regulated byshifting the fulcrum of the lever I6 at I and adjusting the sleeve I7,secured to the frame H, by the thumb-screw 1S.

The feed mechanism and unused carbid may be protected from the action ofthe aqueous vapor formed when the gas is generated by the oscillatingchutes U, swinging on pivots so as to remain normally closed, but whichmay be automatically opened by the falling carbid. Springs or weightsmay be provided to keep these chutes normally closed.

While I have thus described my invention, I wish it to be distinctlyunderstood that I do not limit myself to the exact details shown anddescribed, as these might be varied widely without departing from thespirit of my in- Vention.

I claim- 1. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a carbid-hopper provided with a series of open-mouthed bottoms arranged verticallyAand means for agitating said bottoms by the action of the gas generated,substantially as described.

2. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a gasometer,agenerator, a carbid-hopper provided with a series of movableopenmouthed bottoms arranged vertically, and means to move said bottomsby the movement of the gasometer bell, substantially as de-v ofconveyers located below said hopper-bottoms, substantially as described.

4. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a carbid-hopperprovided with a series of movable open-mouthed bottoms arrangedvertically, means to impart motion to said bottoms by the action of thegas generated, and a series of differentially-speeded conveyers beneathsaid hopper-bottoms, substantially as described.

5. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a carbid-hopperprovided with a series of movable open-mouthed bottoms arrangedvertically, means for jarring said bottoms, a casing surrounding thesame provided with an opening, and means for normally closing saidopening to prevent aqueous vapor rising therethrough, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an acetylene-generator, the combination of a casing divided intotwo compartments separated by a perforated partition, feed mechanism inone of said compartments and the second compartment being adapted tocontain liquid, the said feed mechanism incl uding a carbid-hopper, anda ,series of movable open-mouthed hopper-bottoms arranged vertically,and means for agitating said movable bottoms, and means for normallyclosing the IOO IIO

IIS

perforation forming a communication between said compartments, saidmeans being normally closed but automatically opened by the falling'carbid, substantially as described.

5 T. The combination for producing` a regular feed inacetylene-generators, of a carbid-hopper provided with a series ofmovable bottoms, and a series of differential conveyers set betweeninclined grate-bars, and automatic xo means to operate same,substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for the generation of acetylene, the combination forproducing a regular feed and protecting the unused carbid,

I5 of a hopper provided with agitating means,

with a plurality of differential conveyers set in spaces on agrate-surface, andmeans for simultaneously operating aforesaid means andconveyers; all aforesaid inclosed in one comzo partment and separatedfrom the generatingchamber by a diaphragm provided with a normallyclosed chute, substantially as described.

9. A feeding' apparatus for acetylene-generators comprising a series ofconveyers sep- 2 5 arated by g'rate-bars which are widest on the surfacepresented to the carbid so that the spaces in which said conveyorsoperate increase in width.downward, substantially as described.

10. A feeding apparatus for acetylene-generators comprising` a hopperand a series of conveyers moving' in spaces in a grate-surface,

-over which the carbid is carried, and operated by power applied from asuitably external source,- substantially as described.-

il. A feedingI apparatus for acetylene-generators comprising a hopper, aset of gratebars and a series of conveyers operating between saidgrate-bars at differential speeds 40 produced by a rack pivotallyfastened at one end and moved in a suitable cycle at the other by powerappliedat a suitably external source, substantially as described.

l2. The combination for reducing' the power required to operate anacetylene-feeding' device, of a hopper, with an inclined grate-surfacecontaining recesses in which a series of tines are uniformly movedforward at different speeds, partly above said grate-surface, andsuddenly returned entirely beneath said surface to an initial positionby power transformed from a suitably external source, substantially asdescribed.

13. In a feeding' apparatus for acetylenegenerators, the combination ofa grate, iin gers working between the bars of said grate, a differentialrack for operating' said fingers, a cam provided with a tortuous groovewith which the end of said rack engag'es, and means for moving' saidcam, substantially as described. 14. 1n an acetylene-generator, thecombination with a gasometer and a generator, of a feeding devicecomprising a hopper' provided with a series of vertically-arrangedopenmouthed bottoms, a series of eonveyers receiving the carbid fromsaid hopper, and automatic means comprising a rope, drum, andratchet-and-pawl construction connected to water-sealed vertical shafts,to impart motion to said conveyers by the movement of the gasometer,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR YANCEY. l/Vitnesses:

J. E. l/VALLACE, WV. F. THOMAS.

